Stupid positioning of consumer units...

[Gavin John Hyde]

Called by a customer yesterday as the cover on the consumer unit has come off and they were panicking. Agreed to call in this morning.
Its a new build house, the consumer unit is located immediately adjacent to the side door. When it opens the door handle/ lock bangs into the cover.
Over time it has become dented and eventually the left screw has come loose and the cover popped off. BG boards are prone to having a tight or misaligned cover at the best of times.
Surely the original electricians must have thought about where they were putting it?
It seems these days more and more of them are put in daft places in the middle of a hall way wall or by a door sticking out rather than out of sight in a cupboard.
Whats the most stupid or strange place you have come across a consumer unit new or old?
Have come across one immediately above a bath tub and shower before, suffice to say it was an immediate C1.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I’ve had one in the loft of a bungalow before....

 

[Octopus]

Part M plays its part in these daft locations ..........

 

[ipf]

This Pi$$es me right off.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Behind the bowl of a sink in a kitchen unit on a condition report...

 

[Deleted account]

Have come across one immediately above a bath tub and shower before, suffice to say it was an immediate C1.

C2.

Sorry I had to say it . If I hadn't someone else would have.

I hope I haven't turned this thread into an argument over EICR coding.

Keep to the cu possitioning as it's interesting enough.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Part M plays its part in these daft locations ..........

Yes it does, and it is poor interpretation of it that causes people to put the new ones in silly places. Although we cant blame Part M for just plain ignorance and stupidity. who in there right mind thinks a consumer unit sticking out of the middle of a hallway wall looks good? At least put it in a cupboard somewhere.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

C2.

Sorry I had to say it . If I hadn't someone else would have.

I hope I haven't turned this thread into an argument over EICR coding.

Keep to the cu possitioning as it's interesting enough.

I say C1 When in the bath tub by the shower head, the consumer unit was approximately a foot and half from your head! when washing your head or hair there was every chance you would spray water into the consumer unit. It was also possible given its position that somebody might also touch it when in the shower. So not ideal.
The previous owners had moved the rooms around and put an ensuite in the old cupboard. hence the strange positioning

 

[Strima]

Several BT exchanges I've worked in have DBs 10' up a fall for no reason whatsoever...

 

[Octopus]

There needs to be a dedicated thread on "daft" locations for fuseboards ....

 

[Deleted account]

Hi Gavin John Hyde,
I've put a friendly because I respect your opinion, but disagree and really don't want to turn this into a EICR coding issue.

Yes it's a damn stupid place to put it.

Pete

 

[Toneyz]

Sorry but this is house bashers for you most NOT ALL are just installers "that's where it shows on the drawing" is it not a stud wall? if so maybe a recessed consumer unit is needed.
And a door stop.

 

[Octopus]

Its a new build house,

the consumer unit is located immediately adjacent to the side door. When it opens the door handle/ lock bangs into the cover.

Unfortunately most new builds are wired by unskilled labour .........

nuff said.

 

[Toneyz]

Gavin, how much is the door encroaching could the consumer unit not be moved a few inches?

 

[westward10]

Put a door stop in.

 

[Baddegg]

Not no much bad position,but I went and viewed a job recently,lady wanted her bathroom redoing UFH, heated mirror new fan etc, no probs I say can have a quick look at the consumer unit? Tells me she’s recently had a new one fitted..... this flat I’m in consists of a kitchen,shower room,living room and 1 bedroom it’s tiny, the new consumer unit is an MK 15 way dual rcd board with 3 mcbs (lights,rfc and kitchen rfc) and 9 blanks.......electricians told her that’s to meet the regs?

 

[littlespark]

I was asked to move a fuse board that was in the corner of a utility room, inside the base unit cupboard.
Needed to take door off just to reach in and pull a fuse.

 

[littlespark]

I was asked to move a fuse board that was in the corner of a utility room, inside the base unit cupboard.
Needed to take door off just to reach in and pull a fuse.

 

[Dillb]

Had one underneath a bath once, was a HMO and rooms had been adapted accordingly.

Also not quite on topic but was witing a retail unit, DB position had been agreed on first day of the job. 2 days before handover was asked (actually told) it had to be moved as it would interfere with the disabled toilet wall, told the builder in no incertain terms to do one. Strangly enough they managed to find a few walls to move instead to make it all fit.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Sorry but this is house bashers for you most NOT ALL are just installers "that's where it shows on the drawing" is it not a stud wall? if so maybe a recessed consumer unit is needed.
And a door stop.

Did think about recessing it into the wall as it is a stud wall. But customer is happy leaving it there and use a small door stop on the skirting to stop door close to hinge end and prevent future impact.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Unfortunately most new builds are wired by unskilled labour .........

nuff said.

Where did you hear this?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Gavin, how much is the door encroaching could the consumer unit not be moved a few inches?

It is about half to 2/3 covered by the door when fully open with the door furniture hitting it. They are as per my last post going to put a door stop on the skirting to stop door a few inches earlier. by placing the stop close to the hinge end of door it will stop it and have barely any impact on people and things going through the door.

 

[Octopus]

Where did you hear this?

You can "see it" ...................

If they are not unskilled, they don't have much experience then ..

 

[Richard Burns]

This was one of my most annoying, the picture is the back corner of a kitchen unit.
The service head is behind the cut out in the back of the unit so even less accessible!

 

[Strima]

Put a door stop in.

I did that once, the dog ate it...

 

[Toneyz]

Asked to go and do a test once turned up and half consumer unit in one base unit the other in another could not get the lid off a bit like the scene out of Steptoe and son when they split the house in half.

 

[NDG Elecs]

I saw one on a forum years ago that was located behind a removable panel on a stair riser. I recall the spark at the time saying it took a good while to find it. There was a picture of it. Have just tried googling it to no avail. I'm pretty certain the stairs were carpeted too.

 

[Electric Magic]

This was one of my most annoying, the picture is the back corner of a kitchen unit.
The service head is behind the cut out in the back of the unit so even less accessible!
View attachment 44068

I had a very similar one with the added bonus of the boiler being directly above it.

 

[SparkyChick]

The worst I've seen is service head, meter and CU in a 'space' between two rooms. It was the same height as the rooms, about 3.5 feet long but only about 18 inches wide. The door to get into the space was narrower and much lower.

Thankfully I didn't get the job

The place I'm working on at the mo is relatively good except it's Victorian I think... very high ceilings and the CU is about 2 inches below what appears to be the highest ceiling in the house.

 

[Jason Philip]

So what is the requirements / regulation on that, NEC (USA) codes require 36" clearance in front of the panel / consumer unit, and I know there is part M in UK, so does putting it in a cupboard violate the accessibility / clearance requirements.?

 

[Squid]

Hang the door the other way around.

 

[1Justin]

This one. Recent kitchen too, one-piece corner cabinet, 500mm door.

 

[1Justin]

This one. Recent kitchen too, one-piece corner cabinet, 500mm door. View attachment 44104 View attachment 44104

 

[Squid]

Looks like the gas meter is in there as well......

 

[Andy78]

Worst I saw was mounted, along with the head and meter, in an alcove to the side of a chimney breast. Then a stud wall was put over the chimney breast. Then a kitchen was built over the wall. Access was through a base cupboard. FFS !

 

[telectrix]

came acroos a job recently to add a coule of kitche sockets.done it by fitting RCD FCU. DB was a wylex 3036 mounted below kitchen sink.that was original build from 1970's.

 

[Sparky Pat]

Went to do an EICR once in a cottage with exposed beams, DB was over front door but unfortunately plumber had been in and fitted central heating pipes in front of DB and was not able to remove cover. So ended up having to smash cover off and lowering and fitting new DB.

 

[Andy78]

Worst I saw was mounted, along with the head and meter, in an alcove to the side of a chimney breast. Then a stud wall was put over the chimney breast. Then a kitchen was built over the wall. Access was through a base cupboard. FFS !

Here's my mate gaining access

 

[CACJL]

They ought bring out a new regulations consumer unit sighting, for instance between one and two meters above floor level.

 

[telectrix]

it's in the building regs. maybe by 2040 when the 154th edition of the regs. comes in, it will be included.